


A promise to be kept

by Cumberworldfrap



Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode: s06e08 Cloak, Episode: s06e09 Dagger, Episode: s12e04 Choke Hold, Gen, Tony DiNozzo & Jethro Gibbs Father-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:15:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29570910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cumberworldfrap/pseuds/Cumberworldfrap
Summary: After the events of Cloak and Dagger in season six, Gibbs makes a promise to Tony.
Relationships: Anthony DiNozzo & Jethro Gibbs
Kudos: 17





	A promise to be kept

Tony DiNozzo had often been described as Gibbs’ loyal saint Bernard, but anyone who thought that he wouldn’t stand up to his boss were very wrong. Tony was very capable of calling his boss out, when he felt that it were necessary. After the fake war game designed by Gibbs to catch agent Lee went down, Tony had first thought that he was once again being used by the director, but it turned out, that his boss had been the one to design the whole thing, and he had Tony in the dark. To say that the younger agent was pissed was an understatement. He had bottled up his anger during the case, and when the case had come to it’s tragic end, Tony found himself unable to let it go. He hadn’t slept for over twenty-four hours, but he knew that he couldn’t sleep before he got his anger out of the system. So, he made his way to his boss’ house and went into the basement, where one would normally find Gibbs. And sure enough, the elder agent was working on his boat as always. 

“What ya want, DiNozzo? Go home, get some sleep.” Gibbs was in a bad mood; he’d had a really bad day after all. He shot Lee, even though he didn’t want to. He knew it was wrong to sympathize with a traitor, but he was pretty sure that he would have done the same thing to save his girls if he could. 

“Can’t Boss, I have to get this out.” When the other agent didn’t reply, Tony continued, “The whole fake war game – “

“Wasn’t a game DiNozzo.” Gibbs was tempted to give the younger agent a head slap, but he could tell, that it would be a bad idea with the mood, that the other man was in.

“Then whatever you want to call it Boss! Ziva and I thought those bullets were real, we feared for our lives! You used me, Boss, and I’m sick and tired of being used be my superiors. First Jenny and her stupid undercover mission, then Vance sent me away, and now you’re making me go on fake missions too. Why didn’t you just tell me the truth Boss?” Tony rambled on.

“Rule four, DiNozzo.” Gibbs said as a way of explanation. 

“Well, it’s a stupid rule, Boss! We’ve worked together for, what, eight years now? I think I deserve a little more trust than this!” Tony exclaimed.

Gibbs pondered over that for a moment, before he came to the conclusion that: “You’re right. I should have told you. And I do trust you.” That was as close to an apology as one would ever get from Gibbs. 

“Boss, it’s just that I’m your senior field agent, your second in command. Would you promise me one thing? Try to remember that I’m your SFA and run these things be me.” Tony nearly begged.

“Sure thing, Tony. I’ll do better, “Gibbs promised and continued, “have you had anything to eat today?”

“An apple and a chocolate bar from the vending machine.” Tony could never lie to Gibbs anyway.  
“Come on then. It’s on me.” Gibbs figured that the least he could do was to make sure that his agent had one proper meal that day.

Lunch was enjoyed in companiable silence, and when Tony got home later that afternoon, he went to bed and drifted off into the most peaceful sleep he’d had in a long time.

Six years later…

“DiNozzo, with me!” Gibbs barked and turned towards the elevator. Tony DiNozzo stood up quickly and hurried after his boss. Once inside the elevator Gibbs pulled his usual stunt and turned it off.

“What’s up, Boss?” DiNozzo quipped. They were pretty busy at the moment with trying to save the Russian scientist Nelly Benin of being extradited, but they were pretty much out of options at this point. 

“Shut up and listen Tony. Pendergast and I came up with a plan, but I want your input. Vance and SECNAV wants us to give the Russians what they want, and they want Benin dead. So we make that happen.” Gibbs told his second in command.

“We aren’t planning on killing her, are we, Boss?” Tony asked, “because somehow I don’t think that’s what any of us want.” 

“Of course not,” said Gibbs and glared at his agent. Gibbs would never hurt an innocent woman. “Pavlenko’ll pick up Benin personally in our garage, so Pendergast and I came up with the idea to fake her death. Benin will pretend to freak out and steal a gun from Pendergast, who in turn will shoot Benin with a gun loaded with blanks. We place some fake blood on Benin, and we make sure that Pavlenko sees the whole thing. I want you down there with Pendergast and I.” Gibbs explained the plan carefully.

“That’s a pretty good plan, Boss.” 

“There’s only one caveat. You seem to have been flirting an awful lot with Pendergast and – “ Gibbs started, but he was quickly interrupted.

“Come on, Boss, we’re not really coworkers, rule twelve shouldn’t apply here, it’s just for fun – OW!” Tony’s rambling was stopped by a head slap from Gibbs.

“I don’t care, DiNozzo. Pendergast made the plan on the one condition that you were to remain in the dark. But I made you a promise some years ago, and I intend to keep that promise.” Gibbs continued: “Now grab your gun and come down to the garage with me.”

“On your six, Boss.” Was Tony’s reply.

The plan worked brilliantly. Pendergast shot Benin with the blanks, the little explosive devices on Benin’s body filled with fake blood went off, and Pavlenko was thoroughly fooled. The Russians would stop looking for Benin, and she could start a new life in the united states. 

Tony thought that his acting was Oscar-worthy. When Benin had taken the gun, he had acted surprised. And by not telling Pendergast that we knew about the plan all along, he was able to get a date with her. It was a win for the home team all round. 

But the best part of the whole thing, even better than getting a date with the hot Leia Pendergast, was, that Gibbs had trusted Tony enough to let him in on it. Gibbs had kept his promise to his agent, and for that, Tony DiNozzo was thankful.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic ever! I wrote it all in one sitting, but it has been floating around in my mind for a while. It was inspired by Tony's rant to Ducky and Gibbs in the season six episode "Cloak" and the season twelve episode "Choke Hold", where McGee says: "Gibbs would never leave you out of the loop on something like this." I started to wonder what could have happened in those six years in between, and this fic is the result. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
